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Residents urge action on Vilano Beach safety, RV park and traffic at county meeting
Summary
Dozens of Vilano Beach residents told the St. Johns County Board of County Commissioners on April 7 that they are worried about public-safety risks, limited evacuation options and traffic impacts from short-term rentals and a proposed RV park, and asked for enforcement, traffic planning and greater transparency.
Dozens of residents pressed the Board on safety, parking and traffic around Vilano Beach during the public-comment period on April 7. Speakers including Kristyn Sheridan, John McQuade and Maureen O'Connor cited the absence of an evacuation plan for North Beach, vehicle congestion at popular sites and concerns about a proposed RV park’s compliance with originally approved plans and county codes.
Commissioner Ann Taylor asked staff for clarification about the Board’s authority over the RV park; Growth Management Director Mike Roberson said the project had been modified and approved under ordinance and Planned Unit Development changes. County counsel Kealey West outlined limitations and enforcement tools under county code. Commissioner Krista Joseph requested and received consensus to develop a traffic plan for Vilano Beach in coordination with the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office.
Residents suggested several possible remedies: restricting beach parking, installing signage and lights, reducing speed limits on A1A, and holding town‑hall meetings with law enforcement. Several speakers urged the Board to return the RV-park project to the commission for further review; others asked that enforcement of existing codes be strengthened and that future approvals include clearer safety and evacuation measures.
The public comment block included many individual appeals to protect quality of life and address infrastructure deficits; the Board did not adopt an immediate regulatory change during the meeting but directed staff to pursue a coordinated traffic plan with the Sheriff’s Office.
